Berry Street 140 Years: Restoring Trust and Hope Alicia Cerreto First Published in 2017

Alicia Cerreto Berry Street 140 Years: Restoring Trust and Hope Alicia Cerreto First published in 2017 Berry Street 1 Salisbury Street, Richmond VIC 3121 03 9429 9266 [email protected] www.berrystreet.org.au © Berry Street Victoria Inc., 2017 This book is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means or process whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publisher. Author: Alicia Cerreto Design and Layout: Yola Armstrong and Amy Nussbaumer ISBN: 978–0–9946355–5–6 Images have been chosen to respect the identity, privacy and dignity of the children, young people and families the organisation has worked with over many generations. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this book contains images of people who are now deceased. Toddlers having their dinner at the Berry Street Foundling Hospital, Melbourne, 1956, NAA: A1805 CU1037/19 National Archives of Australia Contents Foreword ................................................................................................. 7 1950s: Planning For The Future ................................................53 Introduction ..........................................................................................9 Kate Jenkins .........................................................................................57 1870s: First Steps ..............................................................................11 1960s: Generosity And Support ............................................. 59 Paul Wappett .......................................................................................15 1970s: Changing Times ............................................................... 63 1880s: Becoming Berry Street ..................................................17 Vince Simeone ..................................................................................69 1890s: Dealing With Demand ....................................................21 1980s: Raising Awareness ............................................................71 Colin Scharp ........................................................................................25 1990s: Exploring New Paths ......................................................75 1900s: Growing And Changing .................................................27 Peter Butler AM RFD ....................................................................... 79 1910s: To The Country ..................................................................33 2000s: The Start Of A New Century ..................................... 81 Pat Holdenson OAM ........................................................................37 2010s: Ensuring A Good Childhood ..................................... 85 1920s: Meeting The Need ........................................................... 39 Sandie de Wolf AM .......................................................................... 93 1930s: Making Ends Meet ........................................................... 43 Looking To The Future ................................................................... 95 Janine Kirk AM .....................................................................................47 Sources .................................................................................................96 1940s: Under Threat Of War ....................................................49 Index .......................................................................................................98 oreword We know that a good childhood really is the foundation This is why in 2006 our Board made formal Apologies of a healthy society. So my dream is that parents get to members of the Stolen Generations, to Forgotten the support and resources they need to give their Australians and in 2013 to people harmed through children the childhood they deserve. Forced Adoptions (see page 82). Since 1877, the people of Berry Street have strived to It's timely to reflect on our past 140 years and the ensure that all Victorian children experience a good evolution of Berry Street through social change childhood. Over the past 140 years, Berry Street has spanning three centuries. evolved to meet the needs of Victorian children, A big thank you to everyone who has contributed to young people and families. Berry Street continues our journey so far. to provide safe homes for vulnerable children, heal childhood trauma, help children to learn and develop, Sandie de Wolf AM, build stronger families, and speak out for childhood. CEO Berry Street October 2017 There are so many positive stories from our 140 years, of which a tiny number are in this book. But when we look back — with the benefit of hindsight and new knowledge — we know we didn’t always get it right. Some children didn’t receive the love, nurturing and care they deserved while in our care. Some were abused by adults who should have protected them. Some mothers had their babies forcibly removed without their permission. And Aboriginal children were too often separated from their community and culture. : 7 Introduction It has been an honour and a privilege to work alongside Thank you to the number of people who contributed the staff of Berry Street to bring you this book. As a reflections for this book: Mark, Coco, Zoey, Paul Wappett, historian, it is my role to delve into the layers of the past. Colin Scharp, Pat Holdenson OAM, Janine Kirk AM, I love to explore the stories of people and places and Kate Jenkins, Vince Simeone, Peter Butler AM RFD and weave together the most important milestones with the Sandie de Wolf AM. smallest of details. My thanks also go to Kerry Bourke and family, who shared From my first meeting with the team, it became clear that with me their recollections of the connections between the story of Berry Street was the story of so many people, Berry Street and the Richmond Football Club. And to from the committee and staff, to the babies, children Ian Frame, Hugh Howell and Ian Scott who shared their and families who have needed their help. Over 140 years memories of being part of Operation Babylift during the Berry Street has been home to many. Vietnam War, and allowed us to use their images. Though both of these stories were a tiny part of the history, it Designed as a book that highlights snapshots of the struck me that they embodied the underlying philosophy 140 year history of Berry Street, Berry Street 140 Years: of Berry Street — to come together to meet the needs of Restoring Hope and Trust shows the organisation’s children and women. commitment to Victoria’s babies, children and families. The 140-year contribution that this organisation has Thank you to the staff of the collecting bodies that hold made is significant and remarkable. records and images relating to the Berry Street story: Australian War Memorial, Museum Victoria, National To pull together a history such as this one needs a Archives of Australia, National Library of Australia, Public committed group of people to work together. My thanks Record Office of Victoria and State Library Victoria. go to our engaged and involved steering committee Sincere thanks to Sophie Church, who edited this work who guided and shaped the project: Jacqui Riters, Julian with a keen and practiced eye, and to my colleagues Pocock, Heidi Reid, Wendy Haines, Jennifer Willis and and friends in the Professional Historians Association Yola Armstrong; to the committed and knowledgeable (Victoria), who offered encouragement and advice team in the Berry Street Archives, in particular Sarah throughout the project. Green; to the Marketing and Communications team: Amy Nussbaumer, Tom Miller, Kelly McLeod and Imogen Finally, to those who have needed the help of Berry Street Baratta and endless thanks to Yola Armstrong for her and those who have offered it, this book is for you. energy, enthusiasm and leadership. Alicia Cerreto And of course, to someone who epitomises the passion Professional Historian and determination of the founders of Berry Street, Sutherland Homes and Lisa Lodge, Berry Street’s outgoing CEO, Sandie de Wolf AM. : 9 Babies at Beaconsfield, c. 1915, Berry Street Archives 1870FIRST STEPS s In 1877, Melbourne was a growing city. The colony of Victoria was only 26 years old, and the gold rushes had inspired thousands to flock to the State that held previously unimagined riches. But the rush for gold did not deliver riches to all. Living and working conditions were improving for some, but rising poverty and homelessness were having a particular impact on women and children. Social changes leading up to the foundation of Berry Street in 1877 affected the lives of men, women and children. In 1856, the building industry won workers the right to an eight-hour day. As well as enabling a better balance between work, health and education, the agreement gave men leisure time to focus on their roles as fathers. In 1864, Victoria became the first State to establish comprehensive child welfare legislation under the Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act 1864. The Act defined the conditions under which children could be removed from their families and made provision for neglected children to be placed in a children’s institution. ‘Neglected children’ included children found begging, frequenting a tavern, sleeping in the open air, or associating with a person known to be a thief, drunkard or prostitute. In 1872, the introduction of free, compulsory

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